Absolutely the Tharks were a source of inspiration for the Fremen. A tough, warrior race that chose their leaders by attrition and lived in natural environments despite their access to high technology.

But I think you are actually talking about a book called Mars, We Love You, edited by McNelly and Jane Hipolito? That was published in '71, involves McNelly, published that poem and had an introduction by Asimov.

Omphalos wrote:Absolutely the Tharks were a source of inspiration for the Fremen. A tough, warrior race that chose their leaders by attrition and lived in natural environments despite their access to high technology.

But I think you are actually talking about a book called Mars, We Love You, edited by McNelly and Jane Hipolito? That was published in '71, involves McNelly, published that poem and had an introduction by Asimov.

The 1971 edition was titled Mars, We Love You, but the 1976 edition apparently was retitled The Book of Mars (with the previously titled listed under the copyright and different publisher). I don't have the 1971 edition so don't know if they added anything. Nice book.

ForewordIntroductionReport on CanaliMars as the Abode of LifeWar of the WorldsA Princess of MarsA Martian OdysseyThe EmbassyDark MissionLost ArtThe CaveExpeditionLoopholeCatch that MartianOmnilingualThe Lost City of MarsOne Step from EarthCarthage: Reflections of a Martian by Frank HerbertSoft LandingEarthboundIn Lonely LandsWorld of the WarsExplorationDouble StarLinguistic Relativity in Middle High Martian

I just glanced through the last piece in this collection titled, "Linguistic Relativity in Middle High Martian" by McNelly.

The main topic was the word grok introduced by Heinlein in Stranger in a Strange Land 1961 ( Dune 1965)

"Grok means life, as a logical extension of it's meaning to drink...the water ceremony is the sole sacrament: "share water, drink deep, never thirst."

"Heinlein carries the religious message even further by advancing the thoroughly Martian concept of ritual cannibalism. When a Martian groks death, he "discorporates," and the surviving water brothers eat the remains..."